<p>plscat and juggernaut, I don’t care about individual case studies, I was talking about aggregate statistics on the subject.</p>
<p>Starting salary depends on your Degree and what company you choose to work for. There are plenty of companies that will pay you top dollar, and there plenty of companies that are cheap. I would never work for a penny pinching company, it shows that when promotion time comes they are going to only look out for themselves.</p>
<p>Also, the orginal question was what the “average” business major could expect to make. I take this to mean an average GPA at an average school with a generalized degree. You think a 3.0 from a regular state university is making over 40K his first year? Give me a break.</p>
<p>FB, I would say it depends largely on 5 factors INPO:</p>
<ol>
<li>School attended</li>
<li>Location</li>
<li>Major</li>
<li>GPA</li>
<li>Luck</li>
</ol>
<p>^^As for the question about >40k at state school with 3.0. Yes I know PLENTY.</p>
<p>Inmotion12,</p>
<p>Do not listen to Payscale, for it is a garbage site. It shows you the lowest possible salary you can make ever, not the average as they state. You better go to job websites, such as monster or careerbuilder, and see what they offer.</p>
<p>There is no concrete way to predict what a starting salary is going to be. Everybody’s situation is different. Like Inmotion said, location is a huge factor. Example, go to Geico’s career site, or ATT’s career site and you will see how much they pay there employees in different locations. And, yes your GPA matters, most companies have a minimum they are looking for. Also, what field of business one is looking into matters as well. Ibanker is going to make 6 figures, while somebody going into Retail Banking is going to be making in the $30k range. Another factor is experience; somebody who has solid experience is going to make waaaaaaay more than somebody that doesn’t. If one doesnt have experience, then the school attended becomes a greatly important factor. That being said, we would need to know one’s specific situation in order to better predict what type of starting salary one can expect.</p>
<p>Pls, you understand the meaning of an “average” don’t you? </p>
<p>Tosh, I don’t understand what you mean. Careerbuilder and Monster use payscale data all the time for their articles. That salary data comes directly from real users and most salary articles published today use that same data. The difference is, they often cite “entry level” salaries. The thing is, entry level salaries can technically come from people with as much as 5 years experience in a field as 0-5 years experience is considered entry level. To me, entry level means coming straight out of college with less than 1 year experience. Fortunately, payscale has that category of 0-1 year experience, which is rarely looked at by it seems anybody but myself. </p>
<p>The reality remains that filling an average high-schooler’s head with the idea that they will easily be making 50k after their first year out of business school is irresponsible and very misleading. Certainly there will be some who do make that much, but it is definitely not the norm.</p>
<p>A more appropriate average is 40-50k. A 50-60k average are for those who work for big banks and top firms but if you average out their work hours with how much they make, you are better off working 9-5 and making 40-50k.</p>
<p>You need to look at hours/pay/benefits/value of life when you consider “pay”. If you are making 100k but you work 80-100 hours weeks, that may not be appealing for everyone. I have a lot of friends who are doing IBanking at the big names and when you realize they need to go back to work at 5pm on a Saturday because they were only taking a lunch break, you realize how great your 9-5 job really is.</p>
<p>Don’t major in business because you want a nice paycheck. I will be majoring in a business-related field because I simply am a person who likes managing, budgeting, and solving problems. If you just want a ton of money go to school to become a cardiologist or some kind of doctor.</p>
<p>I’m majoring in business not only for the money but also because it is supposedly relatively easy compared to other majors (more free time, party time, etc.). The doctor path takes too long and I heard for the stress and work the money isn’t worth it. Much easier to climb the corporate ladder and become CEO.</p>
<p>You need to know more than just business to be a CEO.</p>
<p>Really? I thought all it took was to be power hungry.</p>
<p>Its a lot of politics, people managing, results, and knowing how to take a hit because if anything goes wrong, you get blamed. Its good to be hungry but that alone won’t get you anywhere.</p>
<p>I was actually being kind of sarcastic… And I think it’s pointless to base your major off of how hard it is. Just find something you want to do for the rest of your life. If you just want to become an Investment Banker because you’ll make millions, you’ll hate your life.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.olin.wustl.edu/docs/WCC/EmploymentBSBA.pdf[/url]”>http://www.olin.wustl.edu/docs/WCC/EmploymentBSBA.pdf</a>
[UNC</a> Kenan-Flagler Business School : Career Services](<a href=“http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/Programs/BSBA/careerServices/placement.cfm]UNC”>Undergraduate Business Career | UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School)
<a href=“http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/career_services/destinations/2009_Destinations_Report.pdf[/url]”>http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/career_services/destinations/2009_Destinations_Report.pdf</a>
etc.</p>
<p>Money makes the world tick. Anybody who tells you otherwise, is just underpaid, and angry at the prospect of others seeking a better future.</p>
<p>Money makes the world tick? No. Money means nothing. You really cannot buy happiness.</p>
<p>That’s a very ignorant comment since we can see all of the people who have made millions/billions and then had terrible lives. </p>
<p>You obviously have never had a hard day’s work in your life at minimum wage.</p>
<p>Also, for all those people who say “money can’t buy happiness,” I would have to agree. Money buys things and experiences, which you can enjoy and which can bring you happiness. Anybody that is mature or has worked a real job in their life (not minimum wage) would know this. </p>
<p>Again, don’t listen to this drivel. Do what you want, but also be realistic about the income, as that is what is going to put a roof over your head, and pay your bills, and your hobbies, and your travels, etc. Smart and financially savvy people, don’t think like the poster above. He is trying to equate money with happiness which is a pathetic argument, and not the statement I made. </p>
<p>Additionally, I never worked minimum wage except for during 12th grade, and I don’t plan on doing so. That’s not my aim in life, and not an accomplishment (if you can it that) I would ever be proud of. Unfortunately, in our society, money is a measure of success, and for those reasons, my personal goals don’t really fall in line with the minimum wage Joe. Some people are happy with mediocre pay, but those that want to do things in life, can’t afford to do so on a McDonalds salary. Simple.</p>
<p>^^Well, sounds like you got it all figured out then. Good luck with that.</p>